Telephone-switch separator



H. KOCH.

I l I\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ 7 5 Z0 WIfx/ESS: I INVENTOR. Z fi fl M BY A TTORNEYJ Patented Mar. 22, 1921.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HENRY KOCH, OF JAMAICA, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO DICTOGRAPH PRODUCTS CORPORATION, A CORPORATION OF VIRGINIA.

TELEPHONE-SWITCH SEPARATOR.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 22, 1921.

Application filed October 20, 1919. Serial No. 331,956.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, HENRY KOCH, a citizen of the United States, residing at Jamaica, in the county of Queens and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Telephone-Switch Separators, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to telephonic apparatus and particularly to constructions comprising telephone switches in which spacers are usedbetween the spring contact members thereof.

Such spacers have heretofore been made of suitable insulating material such as hard rubber, or fiber, and are cylindrical in shape with a smaller cylinder-shaped axial lug at each end. They have been made on screw machines which fact together with loss entailed through breakage renders the method rather expensive and slow.

An object of my invention is to provide a spacer for the same purpose, which can be more easily and quickly made, which is of lower cost of manufacture, and which can be substituted for the spacer now commonly used without material change in the design of the switches.

The invention consists in the details of' construction, which will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawing in which:

Figure 1 is an elevation partly in section showing a switch unit of a switchboard and having my improved spacer embodied there- 1n;

Fig. 2 is a top plan of the same; Fig. 3 is a perspective view of my preferred form of spacer;

Fig. 4: is a front view of the same;

Fig. 5 is a side view of the same;

Fig. 6 is a top plan view of a modification of the strips but using the preferred form of spacer shown in Figs. 3 to 5;

Fig. 7 is a top plan view of another modification showing a form of strip which may be used, and

Fig. 8 is a perspective view of the spacer which is to be used with strip shown in Fig. 7.

The key plate of a switchboard is provided with a face plate 1, having a doubled back extension 2, which finally extends horizontally to form a supporting member 3 for the switches. Supported above and below this member 3 are a plurality of switches, two of which are shown. The switches comprise a plurality of spring strips 4: supported with interposed insulation 5 upon supportmg member 3. The strips 1mmediately above and below the supporting member 3 have extensions 6 by means of which the switches receive their movement from the operating cam as will be hereinafter described. These extensions have openings 7 therethrough to receive the lugs of the spacers. Certain others of the strips have extensions 8 which are provided with openings 9 alined with openings 7 and for also receiving lugs on the spacers. A transverse crimp is formed in each extension 8, having its crest intersecting the opening 9, and forming a seat for the reception of the edge of a spacer.

One form of spacer is shown in detail in Figs. 3 to 5 and is preferably manufactured by stamping from sheets of suitable insulating material such ashard rubber or fiber, enabling quantity production at a low cost. It comprises a fiat body portion 11 having parallel edges 12 from which project integral axial lugs 13. When the spacer is in position in the switches its lugs are disposed in the alined openings in the strips and one edge is disposed in the crimp to prevent turning or displacement of the spacer. The seat is conveniently formed by the crimp, but

, obviously any other suitable construction of seat in the extension of the strip may be used. It will thus be seen that movement of, either strip having the extension 6 away from the supporting member 3 will impart a concomitant movement to the strin having the extension 8.

The extensions 6 receive their movement from roller 14: eccentrically carried by pivoted cam or disk 15, which in turn is operated by a handle 16 projecting forwardly of the face plate. The disks or cams 15 are conveniently mounted for pivotal movement on a common shaft or rod 16 carried by the key plate, and are held in either of two operative positions by means of a common pawl or bail 17 which drops into notches 18 or 19 depending on whether the disk is turned to operate the lower or upper switch.

In Fig. 6 is shown a modified form of strip which may be used with the spacer,

which is illustrated in Figs. 3 to 5. This strip is provided with a non-circular aperture 17 in its extension, such as a square or rectangular aperture, which receives the square or rectangular lug of theflat spacer illustrated in Figs. 3 to 5, the cooperating shapes of lug and aperture, holding the spacer in position and preventing it from turnmg.

In Fig. 7 is illustrated a still further mod- .ification of strip which may be used and which comprises a .flat strip having edge notches 18' in its extension. A modified form of spacer, illustrated in Fig. 8 is used with the strip of the form shown in Fig. 7 This modified spacer is fiat and also preferably manufactured, by stamping from sheet material. It comprises a body portion 19' having spaced lugs 20 extending from opposite edges thereof. The spaced lugs 20 are adaptedto .be received by the notches 18 in the strip illustrated in Fig. 7,

. which notches 18 hold the. spacer upright J in proper spacing position. and also prevent it from turnmg from a transverse position. .It is obvious that varlous other modfications of strips and spacers may be made in the construction illustrated in the drawings and above partlcularly described within the principle and scope of my invention.

strips having extensions with alined openings, therethrough, and one of said extensions havmg a seatadjaiient the opening in that member, a flat spacer disposed between said two strlps and having'lugs in said openings and a portion in said seat, and operating means for imparting movement to one of the strips with the extensions.

3. Incircuit controlling devices for telephone apparatus, the combination of a plural ty of spaced spring strips, two of said strips having extensions with openings therethrough, and one of said extensions also having a seat, and a flat spacer disposed between said strips with extensions and having lugs extending into said openings and a portion into said seat, and operating means therethrough, a fiat spacer disposed between said extensions and having lugs extending into said openings, said spacer and one of said extensions having additional coacting means for holding them in a definite relation and operating means for imparting movement to one of the strips with extensions.

5. .In circuit controlling devices for telephone apparatus, the combination of a plurality of spaced spring strips, two of said strips havingv extensions with openings therethrough, oneof said extensions having a seat intersecting the opening therein. a fiat spacer disposed between said extensions and having a lug projecting from opposite edges thereof into said openings and having one edge disposed in said seat, and operating means for imparting movement to one of the strips with an extension.

6. In circuit controlling devices for telephone apparatus, thecombination of a plurality of spaced spring strips, two of said strips having extensions with opemngs therethrough, one of said extensions having a transverse crimp therein with the crest passing across the opening in that strip, a fiat spacer having lugs extending from opposite ed es, one into each of said openings, and an edge into said crimp, and operating means for imparting movement to one of the strips with an extension.

7. In circuit controlling devices for telephone apparatus, the combination of a plu rality of spaced spring strips, two of said strips having openings therethrough, one of said strips with an openlnghavmg a crimp therein with the crest .passlng across the opening, a spacer having lugs extending from opposite edges one into each of said openingsand a portion into said crimp, and operating means for impartlng movement to one of the'strips with an openmg.

8. In circuit controlling devices for telephone apparatus, the combination of a plurality of spaced spring strips, certain of the strips having openings therein, and one of the strips with-an opening havlng a seat therein. a spacer disposed between said strips with openings having lugs extending from the edges, one into each of said openings and a portion into said seat, and operating means for imparting movement to one of the strips with an opening.

9. In circuit controllin devices for telephone apparatus, the comInnation of a plurality of spaced spring strips, two of the strips having openings therein, a spacer dis osed between said strips with openings, anc having lugs extending from two of its edges, one into each of said openings, said strip and spacer having additional co-acting means for holdlng the spacer in a definite relation with respect to the strips, and

operating means for imparting movement to one of said strips wlth an opening.

In Witness whereof, I hereunto subscribe my signature.

HENRY KOCH. 

